4/21/13 - I started working with Section III - Slip-Stitch Patterns today. Square 17 (Woven Tweed) was pretty simple to knit. There are many other things that can be done with slip-stitches, in addition to using them as simple vertical pattern lines as Mosaic Patterns do.

Square 17
Woven Tweed
Front Side

Square 17
Woven Tweed
Back Side

Woven stitches are those that are slipped while the yarn is carried across them on the right side of the work - that is, with yarn in front (wyif) on a right-side row, or with yarn in back (wyib) on a wrong side row. Of course, when knitting on a right-side row after slipping a stitch wyif, it is necessary to pass the yarn between the needle points to the back again so it will be in position for knitting.

Notice the attractive wrong side of this simple tweed pattern, which shows little horizontal chains of the two colors.

4/22/13 - I just finished the next square in Section III.

Square 18
Hexagon Pattern

This square shows how slip-stitches can draw horizontal rows out of line, upward and downward, when the same slip-stitches are carried over more than 2-rows. The Color D (dark brown) bands in this pattern are forced by the slip-stitches to zigzag up and down slightly, giving a somewhat hexagonal shape to the motifs.

4/23/13 - Another square completed.

Square 19
Instant Plaid

This pattern demonstrates the use of elongated stitches, formed by the extra wraps on Row 4, to extend upward over the following 6 rows.

4/24/13 - I finished this square today. Really pretty and not difficult to do.

Square 20
Scale Quilting

This beautiful pattern illustrates the fact that when stitches are slipped wyib on wrong-side rows, the carried strands naturally appear on the right side of the work. Of course, when you are purling after slipping stitches wyib, the yarn must be brought forward between the needle points to return to the purl position for the next stitch.

Interesting, too, to me is that the contrast color appears to have been added to the top of the finished square, rather than knitted at the same time.

Okay, that finishes this entry for me. I have already started the next square, but will start another posting with it. Seems that I have been knitting these squares forever and that I should be close to finishing them and ready to combine them for the finished afghan. But this last square only completes 20 blocks and there are a total of 63 blocks. So....still lots to knit.

I am enjoying this and learning many new techniques and styles, so it is a fun and worthwhile project.

Oh yes, many more ladies are starting to attend my weekly gathering of The Needlers. Plus there has been comments made to express desires to learn to knit or crochet this upcoming winter when all the "snowbirds" return. Hooray, I may be teaching more than expected. I have also had several ladies stop by my place or stop me while going somewhere to ask me to assist them with projects they are doing, or maybe ask questions about something they don't know or aren't sure about. It seems that I am "fitting in" rather nicely. I love it. What's really great is that we are all learning from each other and having fun while we enjoy each other's company.

Catch you later!!!

April 20, 2013

Since my last posting much has happened. I have been to Colorado and back. I have been ill. Steve has left on tour. The purses were received. Bruce opened his box with the quilt mailed to him.

11th - Steve and I left for the long drive to Colorado. We spent the night in Albuquerque, NM rather than drive all night. The room was adequate and cheap. The biggest plus was that our dog Christy was allowed in the room. It was pretty cool traveling with her for the first time. She was all over the back seat at first trying to see everything out both windows. But eventually she tired and settled in her bed on the back seat.

12th - We arrived in Colorado Springs around 12:30 pm almost one hour earlier than expected. Steve had made reservations with Hampton Inn & Suites. We had a beautiful suite, which allowed dogs, too and made it easier to have Alan, our son, and family to visit without sitting on top of each other. We met Alan, Liz, Jeremiah, Lainey, and Josiah at a Chinese restaurant and met several others who were sharing the program with them. It was a fun and boisterous evening. I think we actually disturbed the other restaurant clients due to our large group and excited conversations. It was great fun for both Steve and I, the grandparents, to see our children and grandchildren again.

13th - The next morning our family joined us early. Liz, Alan's wife, had thoughtfully kept the March Gramma's Box until we were all together so that the grandchildren and the grandparents could enjoy making hot cocoa together. It was just as if the grandchildren had come to Gramma's house and we made the hot cocoa mix together. After that sweet fun time, the children went swimming in the indoor pool with Grampa, while the rest of us sat and talked.

Lainey helping to mix the cocoa while Daddy (Alan) watched.

Mommy (Liz) making sure the bag is securely closed before shaking the ingredients together.

Jeremiah shaking the bag to mix the ingredients together.

Jeremiah

Grampa and Lainey

Josiah

Then we drove to the ministry training building and saw where our "kids" were staying while taking classes in preparation for leaving to China in June. The last few weeks had been spent in a program called Pilat. This particular weekend was between that study and the next one to start on Monday called Splice.

We ordered pizza for everyone and enjoyed fellowshipping while we ate. I was stuffed. Then later after the settling down, we shared the April Gramma's Box, which was the ingredients for a Movie Night. There was a DVD with 10 movies, from which one could be chosen to watch. There were individual bags of popcorn for each person and the children each received a box of gummie bears. The grandchildren decided to watch The Borrowers, which was a very old version I had never seen before. We didn't watch all of it because the children's behaviors in the movies were not what Alan or Liz wanted their children to see and possibly emulate. So we stopped that movie and then began watching Ed, a movie about a chimpanzee that played baseball. Frankly, it wasn't much better. Sigh! We called it a night and left.

On returning to our room in the motel, we were ready for sleep but kept up most of the night because of the celebrations from a wedding party.

14th - The next day only Alan and Jeremiah came to our motel suite. Liz and the other two were ill during the night and still vomiting that morning. We really missed them but understood. While Jeremiah swam in the pool, Alan sat and explained to us the process of his calling from being in the military, working with The Navigators, and now moving to China. It was so wonderful to hear his testimony. Soon it was time for lunch and we took Alan and Jeremiah to The Mate Factor Cafe in Manitu Springs where Steve and I had lived for 9-months with The Twelve Tribes who own the Cafe. After lunch we drove to Seth's house, Alan's friend from Alabama. Seth had graciously carried the grandfather clock in the truck with his household belongings when he moved to Colorado Springs two months earlier. We packed the clock into the car and then started back to the ministry building. While the door was open, Christy however decided to leave the car and take off. So we spent time driving through the neighborhood chasing her. Finally, she returned and we were able to leave. We stopped at McDonald's and bought some dinner sandwiches to share with the others. Our visit was short because it was late. We said our goodbyes while loving on the grandchildren and reluctantly left.

15th - We slept in late this morning. The wedding part was gone and we actually had quiet most of the night. We left after breakfast to drive to Aurora, CO, a suburb of Denver, where my brother Ron lives. We arrived around 12:30 pm and went into his house to wait for his arrival an hour later. What fun to visit with him. I hadn't seen him since the summer of 2011 when our parents and siblings met for a few days in Gatlinburg, TN. Ron was excited to see me too.

Ron and I

This visit was wonderful. I was able to see Ron's house that he renovated. His son, Reno, came by after school to see us. Ron fixed a dinner for us that was sublime - grilled chicken, beef, and sausages with baked potatoes, sautéed onions, peppers & mushrooms, hot bread and cherry pie w/ice cream for dessert. Yum, yum, yum!!! Ron and I caught up on each other's news and just shared loving each other.

It started snowing while we were there and before we left at 6:30 pm 4-inches had fallen. Steve and I were very thankful we had replaced the old tires with new ones before making this trip. It was almost 2:00 am before we arrived in Alburquerque, NM that night. We were exhausted. I was feeling pretty rough from "coughing", which was from allergies I suppose. I was also quite tired from the cramped seating in the car.  The grandfather clock took up one-half of the car requiring me to sit behind Steve in the back seat. All I wanted to do was to lie down flat and couldn't. Once we arrived at the motel, we slept like babies. Christy has loved this trip because she was permitted to sleep in the bed with us each night. I expect we will have a little trouble reminding her where her bed is once we arrived home.

16th - We drove all day. We were pulled off the road in Winslow, AZ for 3-hours until a dust storm cleared and the police re-opened I-40 again. We finally arrived home and went straight to bed without unloading the car.

17th - Steve and I spent all day unpacking, doing laundry, and catching up with the mail and such. I was still coughing and finally went to bed early.

18th - I spent the day in bed, coughing and sleeping. Steve packed everything he needed for his tour and left that evening.

_______________________________________

I did some knitting while I was gone, but didn't spend any time on it that would require my attention to shift from the family. It was too cramped in the car on the trip home to knit. But since Steve has been gone and I was "laying low" I have been knitting several more squares. I have, as of today, completed Section II - Mosaic Patterns.

Square 13
Greek Cross

Notice how cleverly this pattern alliterates dark-on-light and light-on-dark motifs.

Square 14
Chevron

This Chevron pattern may be worked in bands of many different, contrasting colors simply by introducing a new color each time Row 15 and Row 1 are repeated.

Square 15
Stepped Fret

This Stepped Fret is a motif common in many forms of primitive art, often showing dark and light motifs interlocking, as in this pattern. I think my colors make this pattern difficult to see clearly.

Square 16
Double Scroll

In this interesting pattern you can see dark-colored "scrolls" moving downward to the right, as the motifs interlock. Again, I think my choice of colors define this pattern poorly.

Well that completes Section II of my afghan problems. Now I will begin Section III - Slip-Stitch Patterns.

Today was a highlight for me in another way. The quilt I made for Bruce was delivered to Vickie's, his sister's, house. Bruce arrived there today to open the box but called me first to tell me he was there. While he was talking to me on the phone, he opened the box and found the surprise I made for him. He was delighted to say the least.

Bruce called me to let me know that he was at Vickie's house and was ready to open the box I sent to him.

His first view of what is inside the box but not really sure what he is seeing.

Bruce told me that he could see something with U of K on it, but he still didn't really know what it was.

He is telling me that he had forgotten he asked me for a quilt. He is realizing that I have made him the quilt he requested. 

Pulling it out of the box, he told me "This thing is large". What size did you ask for?, I asked. A kingsize! "That's what you got", I responded.

"Wow, this thing is HUGE!"

My son is pleased! So am I!

The girls, Vickie and daughters, loved their purses. They each sent me an email "gushing", easy for me to understand they liked each purse. I am so pleased. Ahhhhh!

Well, that's it for now. I am tired and ready to sit and knit some more. Catch you again later.

April 3, 2013

I finished the 11th square today. I sat on the covered porch/deck and knitted while watching the streets be sprayed with oil to seal them for the summer months. The temperature right now is 100 degrees outside, yet I didn't find it too hot. It is very quiet on the street, though, with the spraying and the heat keeping most people inside or gone from the park. Christy and I really like sitting outside, so I will continue to do it for as long as possible.

Square 11
Miniature Mosaic

This pattern demonstrates the nubby Garter Stitch type of fabric that results when the wrong-side rows of a Mosaic Pattern are knitted instead of purled. On such wrong-side rows, the yarn is naturally held in back of the work, in knitting position; therefore it must be brought forward between the needle points before slipping each slip-stitch wyif (with yarn in front), and returned to the back again, to knitting position, after each slip-stitch has been slipped.

April 4, 2013
Bruce's University of Kentucky quilt is finished. I stitched the last stitch a few moments ago and now I can mail it to him. I am so excited that I want to mail it today, but the quilting group meets here tomorrow and I want to show the finished project to them. They have been encouraging me all along and would be disappointed not to see it before mailing. So one more day and then off to my son.

This quilt is a king size. I sat and scooted around the table while I stitched the binding. It was so much easier than holding the whole quilt in my lap. This way it stayed up off the floor and lay flat as I stitched.

Diagonal view

Lower right corner.

Lower left corner

Close-up of upper left corner

It is finished and ready to mail to Bruce, my son.

I also finished another square for the Learn-to-Knit Afghan.

Square 12
Harlequin

Harlequin is a pattern of contrasting diamonds, very good for socks, vests, and pillows.

Steve has been busy installing a "swamp cooler" in our bedroom. It will blow moist air down the hallway and out through a vent he will install later in the front room. This will help against the dry heat of the desert until it gets too hot. Then the air conditioner will be used. But until then the swamp cooler will help keep us cool, allow the doors to remain open, and keep electric costs down.

The Last Few Days

March 31, 2013

Square 10
Diagonal Chain

This is an easy mosaic pattern of diagonal stripes, each stripe bearing dots of its opposite color.

April 1, 2013
I received a call from the quilter, Hilda Reck, that Bruce's U of K quilt was completed and that I could pick it up. Excitement abounding, I met her and introduced her to Steve. We were both VERY pleased with her work. And that's no April's Fool. The long-arm quilting machine did an excellent job saving me many hours and much frustration. The quilt was due to be picked up on May 4th, so getting it early was a real treat. Now I still need to hand-sew the binding in place, which I will do tomorrow - at least start it.

Just before meeting Hilda, I mailed the four purses to my girls, so they are on their way to Kentucky.

Steve's Mom's sister and brother-in-law arrived yesterday. Uncle Jim and Aunt Leila live in Washington and they "snow bird" during the winter in Palm Springs. They are on their way back home but will spend a couple weeks close to us first. We went to dinner last night and will share a belated Easter dinner tomorrow night.

April 2, 2013
Today I will be hand-sewing the binding on Bruce's quilt. I have all morning to do this, so I will not be chatting for a while. I will also be baking the ham and sweet potatoes for this evenings Easter dinner with family.

Made a lot of progress on the quilt. I finished one long side of the quilt. Still three sides to finish. The ham is baking and I am knitting while I wait to do the basting.

As you can see, this quilt is long. It covers two of those crafting tables.

I began on the lower left corner of the quilt to hand sew the binding. I mitered the corner. The solid blue is the backing of the quilt folded back onto the top/front of the quilt.

Hand-sewing the binding from the front toward the back.

Clear view of the machine quilting shown on the backing. Also see how the binding will finish the edges.

The finished binding from the front of the quilt. The words "University of Kentucky" run along the edges.

I have completed the binding along one long edge of the quilt.

I'm a "happy camper" - literally!!

Had a wonderful time with Steve's family this evening. We shared dinner together and then played a game of Pegs. Uncle Jim makes the game board and the pegs. The game is played like "Sorry" but without dice. We use two decks of cards instead. Steve and I had played the game with his parents but not as partners. We played partners tonight. Steve and his Aunt were partners and they won. Uncle Jim gave us the game board and pegs to keep. We are so thankful because we were going to ask him to make us a game and was willing to pay for it. But now we have the game as a gift. Isn't family wonderful?